The Rhine is one of western Europe’s great rivers, used for centuries as a road for boats. It rises in the Swiss Alps, runs north through or beside Germany and France, then through the Netherlands, and flows into the North Sea.

The Rhine萊茵河（the Rhine）is one of western Europe’s great rivers是西歐的一條大河，used for centuries as a road for boats幾百年來一直被當作船隻的水路。It rises in the Swiss Alps它發源於瑞士的阿爾卑斯山，runs north through or beside Germany and France一路向北，流經或沿著德國和法國，then through the Netherlands再流經荷蘭，and flows into the North Sea最後注入北海。

Though actually, “the Rhine” is not one simple strip of water: some stretches are fast and narrow, others are wide, slow, and heavy with barges carrying coal, grain, and containers. The Middle Rhine in Germany is the postcard part — steep banks, old castles, and wine hills.

Though actually不過其實，“the Rhine” is not one simple strip of water「萊茵河」並不是一整條單純的水道：some stretches are fast and narrow有些河段又急又窄，others are wide, slow, and heavy with barges carrying coal, grain, and containers有些則又寬又慢，擠滿了載著煤炭、穀物和貨櫃的駁船。The Middle Rhine in Germany德國境內的「中萊茵河段」is the postcard part是最像明信片的一段——steep banks, old castles, and wine hills陡峭的河岸、古老的城堡，還有種葡萄的山丘。

Cities such as Basel, Cologne, and Rotterdam grew with this river. In English we say the Rhine; we do not need to add “River” every time.

Cities such as Basel, Cologne, and Rotterdam像巴塞爾、科隆，還有鹿特丹這些城市 grew with this river都是跟著這條河一起發展起來的。In English we say the Rhine在英文裡，我們說the Rhine就好；we do not need to add “River” every time不需要每次都加上「River」。